Study: Open middle seat on planes limits COVID-19 spread up to 57%
Catherine Hawley reports
TAMPA, Fla. - Next month, all of the major U.S. Airlines will be back to packing full flights, however, a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows blocking those middle seats was a good thing.
Having an empty middle seat can cut coronavirus transmission up to 57%, the study shows.
Industry experts say do not expect these findings to prompt commercial airlines to start distancing passengers again. Still, this data shows that was a smart decision early on in the pandemic.
The CDC study is based on modeling, not real-world data. The report suggests distancing on planes, including leaving middle seats open, can reduce the risk of COVID-19 exposure to passengers by 23% to 57%.